Congo War Security Review, January 28, 2026

Data Cutoff: January 28, 2026, at 1 P.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: The Congolese government and M23 are expected to return to Qatar to resume peace talks soon. M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in the Fizi highlands in South Kivu. M23 attacked pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters near the front line in Lubero district in North Kivu. The African Union facilitators are expected to begin their tour of the Great Lakes region soon.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

Nothing significant to report.  

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

M23 attacked pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters near the front line in Lubero district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Okapi reported that M23 attacked a Wazalendo position in Mighende village, near the shoreline of Lake Edward—about 13 and 30 miles east of Kipese village and Lubero town on local roads, respectively—on January 26.[i] Radio Okapi reported that the two sides first clashed in this area in Vukendo village, about six miles south of Mighende, as early as January 25.[ii] The last reported kinetic activity between M23 and pro-Congolese government forces in Lubero was January 18, when a Congolese army (FARDC) drone reportedly attacked M23 in two villages near Kipese.[iii]

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23-aligned militia fighters clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in the Fizi highlands in South Kivu. M23-aligned Twirwaneho militia fighters reportedly seized control of three remote villages in the Basilocha group in the Tanganyika sector in Fizi after two days of clashes on January 27.[iv] CTP is unable to verify the location of the villages. The Tanganyika sector in Fizi is located east of Minembwe town, roughly between the RP527 and Mboko town on the RN5. The FARDC and Wazalendo fighters reportedly tried to recapture the villages from Twirwaneho in an offensive on January 28.[v] The FARDC and Wazalendo forces also reportedly conducted attacks to recapture Point Zéro in Tanganyika—about 16 miles east of Minembwe on a local road, which they have tried on several occasions to retake since Twirwaneho captured it on January 16.[vi] M23-aligned independent journalist Héritier Munyampfura reported on January 28 that FARDC special forces are participating in the offensive against Twirwaneho on Point Zéro and surrounding villages.[vii]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near the RP1030 in Masisi district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near Kashuga village on the RP1030 in Masisi on January 28.[viii] Kashuga is about six miles north of Mweso on the RP1030. M23 has repelled numerous Wazalendo attacks on the RP1030 in Masisi in January, including in Pilote and Bukama villages—about four miles and one mile north of Mweso on the RP1030, respectively—on January 19.[ix] Wazalendo fighters regularly attack M23 along the RP1030 to try to disrupt the rebels’ supply lines and dislodge them from their positions.

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

The Congolese government and M23 are expected to return to Qatar to resume peace talks soon. Qatar has reportedly sent official invitations for delegations from the DRC and M23 to reconvene talks in Doha, the Qatari capital.[x] The two sides had signed a peace framework agreement in mid-November 2025 but did not formally resume discussions.[xi] The French magazine Jeune Afrique cited sources close to Qatar and the DRC and M23 on January 28 who confirmed that the delegations are expected to arrive in Doha between January 31 and February 1.[xii] The magazine reported that the current scope of Qatar’s effort in restarting the talks is limited, mainly focusing on resuming dialogue and implementing the October 14 ceasefire verification agreement, with no immediate plans to discuss the six additional pillars of the framework agreement.[xiii]

The African Union (AU) facilitators are expected to begin their tour of the Great Lakes region soon. French media reported that the AU mediators will visit the Congolese and Rwandan capitals for discussions with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the end of January.[xiv] Jeune Afrique reported that the delegation will then visit the Ugandan capital and Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, before traveling to M23-controlled Goma in early February.[xv] French state media reported previously that the delegation aims to complete its regional tour before the AU heads of state summit in mid-February, when the facilitators will meet with outgoing AU chairperson Angolan President João Lourenço and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the incoming chairperson.[xvi] Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, the AU mediator for the eastern DRC file, is expected to present a report on his mediation efforts during the AU summit.[xvii] Gnassingbé had hosted the five AU co-facilitators, foreign ministers from several countries, and representatives from regional and international bodies for a high-level conference on the AU effort on January 17.[xviii]